The 19th IPL season begins on March 28 which makes fans more excited than ever before. The tournament opens with a clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The Wankhede Stadium will host the first match of KKR against Mumbai Indians on March 29. KKR star spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has drawn public interest because he shared details about his IPL 2021 experience of being abused. In a recent YouTube chat with Sahiba Bali Varun opened up about the emotional trauma he faced when the IPL 2021 season got suspended. The tournament reached its halfway point when multiple COVID-19 cases emerged within bio-bubbles and he tested positive for the virus. The Indian Premier League 2021 ended its season on May 4 2021 which caused disappointment to fans who relied on cricket as their main source of entertainment during pandemic lockdowns. Varun disclosed that social media trolls attacked him through their online content while some remarks reached extreme levels. He reported that people used abusive language against him and they delivered death threats. Some individuals reportedly wished for his death, blaming him for the tournament’s suspension. Varun on facing death threats : "People trolled me badly on social media when the IPL was stopped in 2021. It was halted halfway because I got COVID, I was the first person to test positive. As a result, the entire IPL had to be stopped. People started abusing me because at that time the IPL was the only source of entertainment for them during the lockdown, and it was taken away. They were so angry that the IPL had to stop. I can't even describe the kind of things people said. Some even wished that I would die. It was that bad." Varun Chakaravarthy joined KKR in 2020 and quickly became one of the most reliable bowlers in the IPL. He played a key role in KKR's title-winning campaign in 2024, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker with 21 wickets in 15 matches at an economy rate of 8.04. Also Read | 'The Other Teams Are Going To...': Virat Kohli Fires Big Warning as RCB Begin IPL 2026 Prep Varun Chakaravarthy has achieved 100 wickets in 84 innings while sustaining an impressive economy rate of 7.57. In the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Varun emerged as one of the joint highest wicket-takers alongside Jasprit Bumrah, claiming 14 wickets in nine matches. The 2026 IPL season presents multiple difficulties which KKR must handle. The team has lost players to injuries who include both Harshit Rana and Akash Deep. Matheesha Pathirana will miss the initial phase because of a calf strain. Varun's importance increases because the bowling unit faces its highest level of difficulty. KKR's success will depend on his ability to take wickets through his mastery of his craft and his experience.